A Beginners' Guide To Bulking - Diet Plan and Tips

Maybe not easy, but bulking for beginners is surely possible if you follow a disciplined diet plan & workout. So, here's a Beginners' Guide To Bulking that you can start with.

Bulking up is not for every fitness buff, though many of them like to combine bulking muscle with burning fat to reveal the muscles that have worked so hard for. Though bulking up is not easy, but it is still doable without putting on added fat in your body.

To help the bodybuilding beginner with their quest to bulk-up, we bring a breakdown of things that you can do to add pounds to your physique while maintaining the low body fat percentage in your body.

Bulking Diet – Eat More

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Okay, so there is nothing to get too excited to know that you will be allowed to eat to your heart’s content, but yes, eating is the best options to put on the mass required for bulking. However, what you eat is imperative to increase the number on the weighing scale only. The easiest way to achieve your bulking goal by eating is to increase the number of calories you are taking every day. If you include a good amount of protein, carbohydrates and good fats in your diet along with a strict exercise regimen, then those extra calories will help in building muscles. Strength training workouts are considered the best for building muscles. If you are increasing your calorie intake without including exercise in your plan, then you are likely to accumulate fat in your body.

This might tempt you to fill your diet plan with all sorts of junk food, but the key here is to make food choices smartly. You can easily increase the quantity of food that you are already eating for bodybuilding instead of binging on calorie-laden junk items. It is easier to make healthy eating choices as your workout plan for bulking does not allow you to eat unhealthy food items. Even though you can have an extra dose of calories, any bad fat will still be considered dangerous for your bulking dream. The same logic will apply to the excessive sodium intake. If your bulking plan has nothing to do with achieving a professional bodybuilder physique, then you can add more to your plate as per your convenience. But, if you want to do it in a precise and professional manner then you need to follow a well-rounded bulking diet plan. Half of your plate should include vegetables, quarter dedicated to protein and the remaining quarter should be for healthy carbs. You can also add lentils and fruits in your diet to meet your daily nutritional requirements. ​

Understand Your Number Game

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When you are trying to bulk up, a bunch of numbers can come handy for you. Numbers like knowing your calorie goal, your body composition, body mass index and macronutrient portion in your body can help in achieving your goal quite quickly. However, only a professional can contribute to getting these numbers right for your body type, so do not hesitate in taking help of a professional trainer & dietician to keep yourself on track.

Unless you go to a dietician who specializes in sports nutrition, you will not be able to get the complete of your bulking requirements. They can help in understanding where you are, where you want to be and how you can build your diet around your bulking goal. If you are finding it difficult to go to a specialized sports nutritionist, then smartphone fitness apps can also help in keeping track of your calories and micronutrient intake. One pound is equal to 3500 calories, so if you add 500 calories to your daily meal then by the end of the week, you can easily gain around 1lb. Another excellent way to start your bulking diet is to follow 40:30:30 ratio of protein, carbs and fat intake. If you are planning to do this then maintaining a daily food journal is strongly recommended to keep track of what you are eating and count your calories.

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Never Skip On Your Workout For BulkingEating more will automatically lead to more weight, but if you want to ensure that what all you are gaining is all mass and not fat then you need to be a little strict with your moves. Strength training is the best exercise recommended to people who are on a bulking spree. The ultimate goal of bulking up is to add muscle mass. Eating more without working out on your strength will increase the risk of calories converting into fat. If you involve yourself in a very strenuous workout session, then make sure you have a good amount of pre-workout snack and a post workout high energy recharge to keep your energy levels high. No matter how badly publicized carbohydrates are, they are still needed to have a balanced bulking diet.

You must think of carbohydrate as a fuel needed by your body. You must consume this fuel before a workout so that you can out in your best efforts. Your body demands energy immediately after a workout, so you need the fuel again to keep you energy balance up. However, you need to be very careful while choosing carbohydrates for your pre and post-workout snacking. You can look for good carbohydrate sources like oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and lentils. Avoid eating simple carbohydrates like white bread, rice, baked food items and more. The complex carbohydrates that you eat require more time to break down and provide several vital nutrients to the body during a workout or any other high metabolic activity. On the other hand, simple carbohydrates break down easily thus giving a spike to your blood sugar levels, and they are also very low on natural nutrient composition. It is usually recommended to take around 100 calories from complex carbohydrates before the workout. This will not make you feel bloated during the workout. As for after a workout, go the classic way and consider having a chocolate milk as your post-workout snack. Your good old childhood chocolate milk comes packed with a plenty of carbohydrates and proteins required for replenishing tired muscles.

Avoid Going Alone On Your Bulking Journey Food science can become a very complex subject especially when you are on a bulking diet. Before you make any lifestyle change, it is advisable to consult with your healthcare provider and get clarity on all the questions that you may have related to bulking-up. Any kind if a sudden drastic change in your diet or workout may lead to potential health hazards. Though there are dieticians, for this kind of effort only a certified sports nutritionist can guide you efficiently. Most importantly, do not take any over the counter medication for bulking up without consulting with your health care provider or nutritionist.

So, think smart and take the informed steps in your quest to bulk-up for good!

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